Suicide among adolescents is a major public health challenge in the United States. It is the third ranked cause of death for those 10-24 years of age. Teens that present as a danger to themselves or to others or are gravely disabled are commonly relegated to the Emergency Department of a hospital, which is often poorly suited for evaluating or caring for such teens. Hospitalization is largely an unproven treatment modality, although it may provide a relatively safe environment. We need a different approach if adolescents in crisis are to be stabilized and treated effectively. This Workshop presents a Best Practices model for addressing adolescents in crisis; provides an understanding of the legal and regulatory basis underlying an adolescent crisis stabilization unit; and discusses how to establish and the daily functioning of a less-than-24-hour crisis stabilization unit. The success of Willow Rock Center (Alameda County, CA) outpatient facility is presented to illustrate the effectiveness of this crisis stabilization model.